


Spiraling

by troublclef (ultraviolett)



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Episode: Selfishness v. Selflessness, Spoilers for Episode: Selfishness v. Selflessness, Sympathetic Deceit Sanders, Unsympathetic Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-02
Updated: 2020-05-02
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:27:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23958433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ultraviolett/pseuds/troublclef
Summary: Roman doesn't understand why the other sides don't get it. Why they don't see that this is just one of Deceit's tricks. Janus Sanders, whatever he wants to be called, Roman will respect that, but he'll go to lengths to protect Thomas. Now he just has to convince the others to see past Janus' facade.
Comments: 12
Kudos: 107





	Spiraling

**Author's Note:**

> I was inspired to write a bit of a thoughtpiece for Roman after this new episode of Sanders Sides. It kinda turned into more than that and maybe I’ll continue it? Spoilers ahead for Selfishness v. Selflessness Redux (newest episode). Read under the cut. Minor unsympathetic!Roman? Crossposted on Tumblr: https://trouble-clef.tumblr.com/post/616972957859872768

Why couldn’t they understand? Why couldn’t they see things his way? Deceit was _evil_ , an evil snake. He was literally two faced; one half scaly, his wicked yellow eye piercing, and the other was, well, Thomas, like all of them. But it was the snake part that _really_ mattered. Roman wasn’t sure what Thomas could be thinking. Listening to Deceit? Look where that had almost gotten them before. Roman just didn’t see what _Thomas_ saw in Deceit—Janus, whatever. Logan, via this strange pop-up text thing he was now doing, had explained to Roman that his initial thoughts on _Deceit’s_ name were wrong, but how was Roman expected to know _every little thing_ about names and mythology? He was creativity personified, not fact-checking encyclopedia personified—that, indeed, was Logan’s role. Janice, Janus; they sounded the same, and Roman had made a mistake. Deceit’s name wasn’t super relevant to his point. Though, of course, Roman could empathize with at least wanting to be called by your own name—Roman would rather be called Roman than Creativity any day. Creativity wasn’t all that he was, but it was _the essence_ of who he was, just like _Deceit_ was _the essence_ of who ~~Janice~~ Janus was. _Liar. Fake. Trickster._ Clearly, his intentions weren’t pure, nor were they really even clear, and giving him a seat at the table, so to speak, was just _not_ _an option._ At least not one for which Roman would stand idly by and go along with. Roman, though feeling a bit…dim for not having caught onto all of the false flattery and sarcastic compliments Janus had leveled at him in their courtroom scenario, was certainly offended by them now. Not to mention the others—no one had even come to his defense! Every other side (well, with a couple of _exceptions_ ) knew that Roman would be their _hero_ , come rushing to their defense at any time, katana in hand and valor in his heart. Thomas included. Thomas _especially. I thought I was your hero._ Clearly, Roman was wrong.

And _where_ was Virgil in all of this? Virgil would have agreed. _Virgil_ understood ~~Deceit’s~~ Janus’ trickery, his games. Virgil understood that he couldn’t be trusted. But Virgil was not anywhere to be found. Roman found it rather odd, honestly. Virgil wasn’t in the video; he wasn’t anywhere to be found even when Roman sank out. Usually, upon sinking out, they all ended up in the mind palace, then made their way from there to wherever they wanted to be. Nevertheless, when Roman sank out, Virgil wasn’t there either. Roman had at least expected that, for Virgil to be intending to contribute to the conversation, especially after _his_ arrival, but not so. The mind palace was empty, echoey, and Virgil’s presence wasn’t even a hint in the air.

* * *

“Roman?” Roman looked up from his corner of the mind palace at the sound of his name, surrounded by foil stars and rosy, golden lighting which was starting to look a little less rosy by the minute. Patton’s earnest face appeared in his vision. _Patton. I trusted you._ It wasn’t that Roman no longer trusted Patton, but it certainly wasn’t looking good. Patton bit his lip, pulling at the ends of the sleeves of the sweater tied around his shoulders. “You okay?” Roman furrowed his brow. “O…kay. Clearly not. I, um. I…listen. I get the feeling that you weren’t feeling heard, back there. And I—”

“No, I think you all heard me. You just didn’t listen. Too busy listening to your new friend _Janus._ ” Roman clenched his fists. Patton reddened.

“Well, he isn’t our friend, exactly. He just...deserves to be heard. Just like someone else we know.” Patton shifted, opting to sit on the floor cross-legged instead of standing. Roman was already seated, having conjured up a throne-like chair, but sliding down to the floor after Patton sat. “ _Virgil_ is _different._ He doesn’t lie and cheat, and at least he _tries_. You should understand that better than anyone.”

“Who’s to say Janus isn’t trying?”  
“I can’t believe you’ve sided with him already, even after all he’s done and all he’s tried to do. He’s _evil._ Bad, ill-intentioned, the villain of Thomas’ heroic arc.” Roman gestured into the air for emphasis (and flair). 

“I really don’t think that was _evil_ of him, just…misunderstood.” Patton tried again, kind eyes pleading with Roman. “He called Remus out of hiding, caused Thomas all that pain and anguish, and Virgil too, and _you_. How is that not exactly what a villain would do?” Roman sighed, standing and straightening his sash. Always had to look princely perfect, after all. “You know what? I can’t sit here anymore listening to you trying to defend him. You’ll see. He’s bad for all of us, he’s bad for _Thomas._ ”

“Wait, where are you going?”

“To find Virgil. He’ll talk some sense into all of you.”


End file.
